This week, I’m celebrating my birthday—and I’m always grateful that it falls in a month when we honor Veterans. Many people I love have served or are still serving. It feels meaningful to celebrate life alongside honoring sacrifice.
Soon, I’ll be gathering around a full table of gratitude and joy, with turkey stuffed using my mother’s hundred-year-old bacon-and-celery stuffing recipe. (Yes, it’s that good. Yes, it must be bacon.)
We’ll also bring the dog and the kids to “tag” our Christmas tree. And maybe—even if it’s pushing the season—we’ll squeeze in some apple picking so there’s pie cooling on the counter.
These are the simple reasons I love November.
The gift is in the giving of my gratitude.
This year, my word was joy. I bought a mug, a t-shirt, and a sticker so I could see it everywhere. I needed the reminder. I wanted the reminder. And I’m already choosing my word for next year: peace.
It has been a challenging year in many ways. Politically. Socially. Emotionally. And when federal food benefits paused during the government shutdown, I saw firsthand how quickly families—hardworking families—felt the strain.
The food pantry where I’ve volunteered for more than a decade is in a town with an Army base. Service, sacrifice, and need all live side by side there.
This week, I honor Veterans and their families—the seen and unseen work of service.
We recently took our annual family trip to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where we gathered over a pre- and post-football tailgate, surrounded by former service members and their loved ones. On the field, a massive flag was unfurled. A 99-year-old WWII veteran was escorted out to be recognized. A young cadet sang the national anthem with a trembling earnestness that silenced the stadium.
It was beautiful.
Humbling.
Patriotic in the purest sense.
Maybe that’s why November has always been my built-in pause.
My personal reflection season.
My month for taking inventory—not of productivity, but of meaning.
And this year marks another milestone: two years since I published Giving Is Selfish.
Two years since I took a deep breath and trusted that maybe, just maybe, my story had something to offer.
Birthdays as Checkpoints
I’ve always viewed birthdays less as celebrations and more as mile markers.
A moment to ask:
- What has shaped me this year?
- What have I learned?
- What am I being called toward next?
It helps that my birthday sits near year’s end—a natural time to reflect. And I am grateful for this year, even the hard parts.
The message that surfaced for me was quiet, but clear:
- Slowing down is not failure.
- Rest is not absence.
- Joy deserves space.
- And patience… might be my 2027 word of the year.
As someone who has always given deeply—to family, community, and work—it took the exhaustion of early motherhood to teach me that caring for myself is what allows me to care for others with sustainability.
The irony, of course:
We often teach what we most need to learn.
Veteran’s Day and the Meaning of Service
Every November, I’m reminded:
Service is not something we merely do.
It’s something that shapes who we are.
It requires courage.
It requires sacrifice.
It requires love.
And often, the quietest givers—caregivers, volunteers, parents, teachers, neighbors—are practicing the purest form of service.
If you give quietly and consistently, without fanfare or applause:
I see you.
Thanksgiving and the Practice of Noticing
Thanksgiving, for me, is about noticing.
Noticing:
- Who we love
- What we’ve received
- And what we have to share
Gratitude doesn’t require calm circumstances.
It only requires attention.
Here’s the simple practice I’ve been using:
- Name one person you’re grateful for.
- Tell them.
- Let that be enough.
One small act can shift an entire day.
Two Years Later
When I published Giving Is Selfish, I didn’t know what would happen.
I just knew that generosity had changed my life—and I wanted to tell the truth about it.
Now, two years later:
- Dozens of “philanthropists next door” have shared their stories on my podcast.
- The Give Back Community continues to grow.
- And yes, those 32 five-star Amazon reviews still fill me with joy.
The greatest surprise is realizing how many of us are already living generously—quietly, consistently, faithfully.
We are hardwired to give—and when we do, it boomerangs back to us.
Introducing the Living Generously Bundle
To honor this season—and to make gratitude gentle, doable, and daily—I put together something special:
The Living Generously Bundle
A thoughtful, heart-first gift for yourself or someone who inspires you.
It includes:
- Giving Is Selfish (signed by me)
- The Gratitude & Giving Journal
- A handwritten note
- A You Are A Philanthropist sticker
It’s a way to step into this season with:
- Intention
- Reflection
- Breath
- Gratitude that grows
👉 Get the Living Generously Bundle: https://youareaphilanthropist.com/book/
If November is your month of slowing down, remembering what matters, or beginning again—this bundle is for you.
Final Thoughts
As we step into this season, my hope for us is simple:
May we notice what is already good.
May we soften into joy.
May our giving be gentle and steady.
And may we remember that loving others begins with loving ourselves well.